daphny is a toronto based singer from the island of Sint Maarten. the following interview highlights her journey with music.  When did you first realise that you could sing? Well, I actually started singing at the age of 4. Music and art in general is just something that runs through my family on both my mother and my father’s side and honestly I am so grateful to be born into such artistic bloodlines. I first realised I had a talent when I was old enough to understand what talent actually is which was in the first grade. How did you feel when you performed your first solo in front of an audience? The first time I performed a solo in front of an audience I was nervous but excited. I was 11 or 12 and at that age I was never insecure about performances because I had never experienced criticisms or the negativity of the world. I just did what I loved and enjoyed doing it, a lot actually. I wasn’t even mad that the people that trained me made me sing the same song 26,000 times (LOL shade intended).  How has singing brought a sense of peace to your life? Singing helps me when I’m going through everything and nothing at the same time. There is always a song out there that reflects what I am going through or feeling at any given moment and even if the words are not mine, they are relatable and maybe verbalized much better than i ever could at that point and being able to sing those words out loud really helps me level out my mind and energy. When i am sick or injured to the point where i can’t express myself through song i go through this weird depression because it’s like my peace has been taken away from me and all i feel is chaos and a sense of lost self control. When you write lyrics or poetry, what sense of power do you feel? I have just recently in the past year started taking my creativity in regard to writing much more seriously. I started doing poetry to help with my songwriting and it has helped me flourish and improve writing a lot more. Writing lyrics or poetry lets me have the voice that i never allowed myself to have and that’s something I would never want to lose, thus i am working on building on it rather than losing it because allowing myself to have that voice unapologetically truly makes me feel free and powerful. Like no one can tell me what to do, how to think and feel, or what to say.  What is next for Daphny? What is next? Well, I am hoping to drop one of two EP’s by the end of this year. I am also currently in a 6 month music program which helps female artists to grow in the industry and helps us improve our music. By the end of this program I should have two songs ready to drop. Finger’s crossed STAY TUNED! I also want to start booking official gigs by January 2021. I know it seems kind of far but this takes time and this is teaching me patience (cause i'm not patient at all lol).  If you are or know someone that is interested in being a part of our creatives list, message us on twitter or instagram @islandgalting or email us at: [email protected]
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Tori carter is an artist born and raised on the island of SINT MAARTEN the following interview highlights her story and her love for art.  Who is Tori Carter? I always find this question difficult to answer. If we’re talking about demographics, I'm a 20 year old woman born and raised on the island of St. Maarten. Personality wise, I would describe myself as a walking paradox. I’m either on one end of the spectrum or the complete other end. Some describe me as quiet, others wish I would shut up sometimes. I can be nonchalant or I can be emotional. I can be calm but I can also be crazy. Above all of this though, the number one thing I can describe myself as, is an artist. It’s what makes me Tori. The art forms I mainly associate myself with are drawing, painting, writing, and occasionally singing. I can’t go a day without doing at least one of these.  How has art changed your life? Art has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I’m pretty sure I've been drawing since the first time I was handed a pencil. Back then I just used to do it for fun but as I’ve grown older, it has become my peace. When I was in primary and high school, I always took art classes. It was the one class that didn’t stress me out and I actually enjoyed it. I also started writing when I was in high school. I’ve always had a hard time expressing myself so writing was my way of doing so. With that, It became my passion too. When I started college, I neglected art for a while. I got so caught up in my new environment I forgot what I'm truly passionate about. One day I decided to pick back up my pencil and the minute I started drawing I began crying out of happiness. That’s when I realized that art isn’t just a part of my life, it is my life. It’s what keeps me sane, it’s what makes me feel, and it helps me express myself.  What motivates you to be an artist? Honestly, my mind. My thoughts can be quite overpowering sometimes but my art helps me get everything out. I put all my feelings into it. It’s one of the easiest ways for me to express myself. I’m also motivated by the feeling it gives me.I might sound crazy but I can’t even explain it. It’s something indescribable but unquestionably beautiful. What or who inspires you to continue to create? To start off with the “what” aspect, my surroundings inspire me. Whether it’s a person that I see, the environment, social media content, or nothing but my own thoughts at 2AM, I'm always coming up with ideas in my head. I get several random notions that inspire me to either draw, paint, write, or sing. Do I put all of my ideas on paper? No. Many of my projects go unfinished. Despite this, the ideas that really stood out to me remain in my head and I am determined to bring them to life. If I could specify one person that motivates me to create, it’s Teyana Taylor. THE versatile queen. I have a great appreciation for her because she is a clear representation of the fact that you don’t have to put yourself in a box. You can do anything and everything your heart desires. You should pursue everything you’re passionate about. She’s done exactly that and that is why I have so much love and respect for her. I used to feel like I should just stick to drawing because that’s what everyone has told me I’m good at but once I found out about her, she inspired me to be more open about the other art forms that I take part in.  For more content from Tori Carter, follow her instagram @bad.soul If you are or know someone that is interested in being a part of our creatives list, message us on twitter or instagram @islandgalting or email us at: [email protected] Gizmo876 (Shakielle Powell) is a Jamaican lyrical sensation born and raised in St. Ann. His style and flows are what set him apart from his peers in a saturated Dancehall space.  Photo taken by: Joshua Hayles What was your first introduction to music? My first introduction to music was church. I have a lot of aunts and uncles who are great vocalists, some of whom entered a national gospel competition as a group. My dad and his brothers played instruments. Being around them, coupled with having friends with the same interest made it impossible for me not to be drawn to music. I started writing my own music early in high school to participate in break time clashes, and then later moved into producing music when I was introduced to a popular Digital Audio Workstation by fellow producers in school at the time. What does music, especially dancehall, mean to you? Music to me is therapy. I wouldn't say it is solely what got me through some of the darkest and lowest points in my life but it certainly made the journey a bit more bearable. Dancehall music is Jamaica, past, present and future. For me, it is an avenue to share my experiences, ideas and thoughts. At the same time, writing and listening to dancehall music helps me understand myself and my history as a Jamaican and as a citizen of this world because I conduct a lot of research in the process.  Photo taken by: Joshua Hayles How has music changed your life? Music has been the second greatest contributor to my recent mindset shift, the first being my son. I started conducting some serious business research a year prior to my first commercial release last summer. Since then, I have been studying the game (of music and life) and this changed my entire outlook on, well, everything. I can say if I hadn't decided to pursue music, I probably would never have attained this level of mental and psychological maturity. How did you feel when people started to respond positively to your music? When I started uploading my music online (on SoundCloud, then later YouTube), I only did it so I wouldn't lose them. The mere fact that I have reached a point where I have people like my art enough to purchase it or to stay up waiting for a release from me is still surreal. I have always been, and will forever remain grateful for any support I receive. I still try my best to respond to everyone, so they know that.  Photo taken by: Joshua Hayles What/Who inspires your style? Even though I spend a lot of time planning before I execute anything or show the world, my style has always been driven most by my mood. How I feel is what you get, most of the time, through the music just as much as how I look. It's all a part of the art, and that's just me finding ways to show the world my mind. There are a lot of inspirations in the game that shaped how I think though, but I think the single most impactful has been the Worl' Boss himself, Vybz Kartel. How has your community reacted to your music? Members of my community always knew I had a passion for music, and I performed at a few small events there in the past. However, since I rebranded and started releasing music commercially, I have been MIA. In the back of my head I kept wondering what it would be like to go back. All this time, I had been keeping in touch with a few close friends and my brother who told me my music was being played heavily there. It didn't hit me until I actually went back there in December how much they love my music. I shot a scene for my latest music video (Devious) there and they knew the lyrics, I was shocked. I also performed at a show Christmas night that featured acts like Fanton Mojah and Turbulance, and the feedback for my set was unbelievable. View clips of the performance here: https://www.instagram.com/p/B6ld7qVpdKU You worked with an international producer on your latest single Wild, how does it feel to have such connections in this industry? The many connections I have made showed me the power of a few things: positive energy, social media/the internet, and using what you have instead of waiting. It feels amazing to work with producers from all the way in the Netherlands, UK and Canada at such an early stage in my career. I get more freedom to experiment with my sound and get 'the crazies' out. I actually released a single after Wild - Urban Mode produced by Dev from the UK: https://ffm.to/UrbanMode. We have a lot more coming. Who is one artist that you really want to work with? I have a long list of artists I hope to work with, but I think the collaboration that would mean the most to me whether it blows up or not, would be one with Vybz Kartel - my biggest inspiration to date. A lot of my friends told me a collab with me and Kartel would probably be overkill, but I'm here for it. What can we expect next from Gizmo876? After visuals for Devious, we work on visuals for a collaboration with a new talent that drops very soon and should make a significant impact. I will start recording my first project this month. It will be a vibe most have never heard from me. We have been planning it for a few months and I'm very excited about it. Before we release that project though, just look out for more singles and vibes from Gizmo876.  Photo taken by: Joshua Hayles CHECK OUT GIZMO876'S OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO FOR HIS HIT SINGLE DEVIOUS If you are or know someone that is interested in being a part of IslandGalTing's Creatives List, message us on our twitter or instagram @islandgalting or email us at: [email protected] |
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